Pressurized applicatory liquid feeding and applying apparatus



March 31, 1970 P. w. KIRCH 3,503,691

PRESSURIZED APPLICATORY-LIQUID FEEDING AND APPLYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 13, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 76 F|G.4

INVENTOR. 76PALJL. W. Ku2

FIG. 5 90 March 31, 1970 P. w. KIRCH 3,503,691

PRESSURIZED APPLICATORY-LIQUID FEEDING AND APPLYING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 15, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i FIG. 6A /.L4

mvzzmoa PAUL. \N. K\2CH United States Patent Oflice 3,503,691 Patented Mar. 31, 1970 3,503,691 PRESSURIZED APPLICATORY-LIQUID FEEDING AND APPLYING APPARATUS Paul W. Kirch, 2325 Kellogg Court, Altadena, Calif. 91001 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 565,302,

July 14, 1966. This application Sept. 13, 1968, Ser.

Int. Cl. A46b 11/02 US. Cl. 401-188 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The specification discloses a pressurized applicatoryliquid feeding and applying apparatus including a pressurizable storage reservoir, a length of flexible feed tubing extending from the reservoir to an applicatory brush means and there being connected to coupling means carried by the brush means and extending thereinto at a location at the forward end of the handle where it joins a rear end of a brush body portion in a position offset from and at one side thereof at a location such as to provide minimum interference with a hand holding the handle and brush for liquid applicatory purposes. A normally closed, finger or thumb operable valve is carried by the brush in the flow path of the coupling means at a location suitable for operation by the holding hand, thus facilitating the easy pressurized feeding and application of paint or other liquid to a surface.

This application comprises a continuation-in-part of my parent copending patent application, Ser. No. 565,302, filed July 14, 1966, now Patent No. 3,418,054, and, generally speaking, the present invention relates to applicatory apparatus for applying a liquid to a surface and, more particularly, pertains to such an applicatory apparatus which takes the form of a liquid-supplied applicatory brush means primarily intended to apply an applicatory liquid, such as paint or other surface covering or coating means, to a surface, and, for the sake of simplicity, throughout this application, the word paint shall be broadly construed as meaning any such applicatory liquid whether it is actually paint, enamel, varnish, shellac, log oil, or stain, or the like, individually or in various combinations thereof, and with various suitable pigments or coloring agents employed therewith, if desired.

The applicatory brush means of the present invention is provided with means for controllably supplying applicatory liquid, or paint, under the control of the persons hand holding the applicatory brush means so that exactly the desired amount of applicatory liquid, or paint, will be made available at the tip of the applicatory brush means during a liquid-applying or painting operation and there need be no delay, in the conventional prior art manner occasioned by the necessity for frequently stopping a liquid-applying or painting operation in order to dip the brush means into a container carrying the applicatory liquid or paint which is to be applied to a surface. This greatly decreases the amount of time required for completing the applying of an applicatory liquid to, or the painting of, a given area of surface and, therefore, vastly improves the efliciency of the complete operation, and this is the primary purpose and object of the present invention.

The apparatus of the present invention is particularly useful for trim painting, and the like, which cannot be conveniently done by paint rollers, which are better adapted for painting wall surface, ceiling surfaces, or other flat surfaces not having any changes in surface shape or convolutions and not having any edges which must be very carefully and accurately painted, such as those around a window frame, door frame, or the like. Therefore, the apparatus of the present invention will be primarily described hereinafter in several exemplary embodiments intended primarily for applying paint to or, as it is commonly called, painting, such trim surfaces, but it should be clearly understood that this is exemplary only and should not be construed as specifically limiting the invention to painting only such surfaces or. to applying only paint to a surface.

An important feature of the invention is the easy-toclean construction of the apparatus which is greatly facilitated by the novel, completed interiorly sealed construction of one preferred exemplary form of the finger or thumb operable control valve carried by the base or handle portion of the paint brush and finger or thumb operable for the purpose of controlling the interior feeding of pressurized paint to the bristles of the paintbrush. This type of interiorly sealed construction prevents any leakage of paint between various moving parts of the valve and, thus, prevents hardening of paint at such locations which would normally tend to clog and possibly jam the valve and render it substantially inoperable after relatively short periods of use.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an applicatory-liquid feeding and applying apparatus of the character referred to herein, generically and/or specifically, and which may include any or all of the features mentioned herein, either individually or in combination, and which is of extremely simple, relatively inexpensive construction adapted for ready mass manufacture at relatively low cost per unit and which is of virtually foolproof, easy-to-clean construction whereby to be conducive to widespread manufacture, distribution, and use thereof, and which results in a vastly improved liquid-applying or painting operation, making it possible to cover a given surface area in much less time than with conventional prior art liquidapplying or painting equipment intended for applying liquid to, or painting, comparable surfaces.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which follows hereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of, but not specifically limiting, the present invention), and said objects will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of the detailed description which follows.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the invention, one exemplary embodiment of the invention, and a slight variation thereof, are illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying drawings and are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a reduced-size, perspective view illustrating one exemplary embodiment of the invention actually being used by a painter who is shown holding the paint brush in his right hand with a finger positioned lightly on the normally closed finger operable valve means carried by the paint brush and controlling the pressurized flow of paint to the interior of the paint brush so that a painting operation will be completely under the control of the painter and can be done very rapidly and expeditiously.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view, taken substantially on a vertical central plane, as indicated by the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1, such as to show the mounting of the hand pump, the pressure gauge, and the inlet end of the feeding tube within the pressurized paint reservoir. In this view, vertically intermediate portions of the reservoir are removed for drawing space saving reasons. Also, the forward end of the feed tubing is shown broken away for similar reasons.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, partially broken away, perspective view of the applicatory brush means of FIG. 1 with a forward portion of the feed tubing means being shown connected to an inlet coupling means of the applicatory brush means for supplying pamt thereto.

FIG. 4 is an additionally enlarged, partially broken away sectional view taken substantially along the plane and in the direction indicated by the arrows 44 of FIG. 3 and shows the finger operable control valve means in its normal closed position.

FIG. is a fragmentary, sectional view, drawn to the same scale as FIG. 4, but is taken at right angles to FIG. 4 substantially along the staggered plane and in the direction indicated by the arrows 55 of FIG. 3, and also shows the finger-operable control valve means in its normal closed position.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the same plane as FIG. 4, but shows the finger-operable control valve in solid lines in a finger-operated temporarily open position such as to allow paint to flow therethrough to the interior of the forwardly extending bristles of the brush means. The normal closed position of the finger-operable control valve means is shown in phantom as is the location of the finger temporarily holding the valve in open position.

FIG. 6A is a fragmentary view similar to a portlon of FIG. 6, but illustrates a very slight modification of a portion thereof, having additional means for retainingthe pushbutton in its upper extreme, normally closed position. However, in this view, the pushbutton is shown in the finger-operated, downwardly extreme, valve-open position which shows the additional retention means more clearly than if illustrated in the valve-closed position.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, sectional view, taken on the same plane as FIG. 5, but shows the finger-operable control valve in solid lines in finger-operated, temporarily open position, as is shown in FIG. 6, such as to allow paint to flow therethrough to the interior of the forwardly extending bristles of the brush means. The normal closed position of the finger-operable control valve means is shown in phantom as is the location of the finger temporarily holding the valve in open position.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along a plane such as is indicated by the arrows 8-8 of FIG. 3, but illustrates a very slightly modified form of the forwardly diverging spatulate disseminating outlet nozzle means adapted to disseminate paint into the interior of the forwardly extending bristles of the paint brush.

FIG. 9 is a reduced-size, fragmentary, perspective view similar in many respects to FIG. 1, but illustrates a slightly different form of the mounting of the pressurized paint reservoir means which, in this case, is shown 1n supported carried relationship with respect to the painters body through the use of a body-engageable supporting and carrying harness means which is both cooperable with the paint reservoir means and the torso portion of the painters body.

Generally speaking, the applicatory-liquid feeding and applying apparatus of the present invention comprises an applicatory liquid or paint storage reservoir means, such as is generally designated by the reference numeral 20, which is provided with a length of flexible, small-diam eter feed tubing means, such as that generally designated by the reference numeral 22, connected to and in communication with the interior 24 of the storage reservoir means 20 at a rear end 26 of the tubing 22 and having a remote forward end 28 provided with, connected to, and in interior communication with, an applicatory brush means, such as is generally designated by the reference numeral 30.

The applicatory brush means 30 normally has a rear wardly extending handle 32 and forwardly extending bristle means, such as generally designated by the reference numeral 34, provided with and interconnected by an intervening interconnecting brush body portion such as is generally designated by the reference numeral 36.

The applicatory brush means 30 is provided with inlet coupling means, one form of which is best shown in FIG. 3 at 38, and which may comprise a direct or an indirect friction-fit, clamp-fit, or any other suitable type of engagement of the two parts 28 and 38, or engagement means connected thereto, for effectively coupling the forward end 28 of the flexible plastic feed tubing 22 to the inlet coupling means 38, and all such coupling means modifications are intended to be included and comprehended with the broad scope of the present invention.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, the interconnection of the forward end 28 of the feed tubing 22 to the brush inlet coupling means 38 is located substantially adjacent to, or at the junction or interconnection of, the forward end 40 of the handle portion 32 and the adjacent rear wall 44 of the previously mentioned inter connecting brush body portion 36, since it is believed that this provides a very convenient location 'which is not likely to interfere with a persons manipulation or use of the applicatory brush means 30. However, various other connection locations may be employed within the broad scope of the present inventio The brush inlet coupling means 38 extends into the interior of the junction of the forward end 40 of the handle 32 and the rear wall 44 of the interconnecting brush body portion 36 and there is effectively provided with, and connected to, interior flow passage means, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 46, and which, in the example illustrated, has an exterior input portion, as best shown in FIG. 3, which passes through the interior of the brush body portion 36 and forwardly into the center of a rear portion of the forwardly extending bristle means 34 at a location such as is generally indicated at 48, as is best shown in FIG. 3, and then is fed forwardly through a spatulate forwardly laterally diverging outlet nozzle means such as is generally designated at 50, as best shown in FIG. 3, and out the laterally broad, vertically narrow, outlet slot 52 thereof into the interior of forward portions of the bristle means 34 in a manner such as to enhance the dissemination of liquid or paint, such as is indicated by the reference numeral 54 in FIG. 2, which is fed from the interior chamber 24 (which is pressurized by means which will be described hereinafter) through the feed tubing 22 and the finger-operable control valve means, generally designated by the reference numeral 56, when it is depressed by the finger of the painter, generally designated at 58 in FIG. 1, who is holding the brush in his hand in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1 with his finger 60 normally resting on the outer upwardly projecting pushbutton member 62 of the normally closed control valve means 56.

The above makes it possible for the painter 58 to momentarily press the pushbutton 62 to temporarily or momentarily open the control valve 56, which will allow the pressurized paint 54 in the reservoir 20 to be fed through the feed tubing 22, the interior flow passage means 46, the open control valve 56, and out of the spatulate nozzle means 50 into interior moistening relationship with respect to the forward ends of the bristle means 34. As soon as the painter 58 feels that suflicient paint has been fed to the bristle means 34, he merely lifts his finger from the pushbutton 62 and the control valve 56 immediately shuts off the flow of paint, and the painter 58 will normally continue to paint until the paint carried by the bristles 34 is reduced in quantity to a degree such that he feels that he should again feed a small quantity of paint to the interior of the bristles 34 by again temporarily depressing the pushbutton 62 with his finger 60.

Thus, it will be seen that the apparatus illustrated and described above provides extremely precise control by the painter 58 of the flow of the paint 54 to the forward ends of the bristles 34 whereby to comprise an optimum method for rapid and efficient painting with no wasted time being required for dipping the bristle means 34 in a conventional paint container in the conventional prior art manner.

The exemplary, normally closed, finger-operable valve means 56 comprises the previously mentioned upwardly and outwardly projecting pushbutton member 62 integrally connected to and comprising an upward extension of a downwardly directed valve body portion 64, which is slidably mounted in a valve recess 66 formed in the interior member 68 of the previously mentioned interconnecting brush body portion, generally designated by the reference numeral 36. The bottom part of the recess means 66 is effectively provided with a removable bottom closure cap 69 carrying therein the bottom end of a biasing coil compression spring 70 which normally has its upper end abutting the upwardly recessed, effective cup-shaped bottom end 74 of the valve body portion 64 and is adapted to bias it upwardly or outwardly into the normal valveclosed position best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The entire valve body portion 64 and the pushbutton 62 at the outer end thereof are retained and prevented from further outward travel by abutment of the upwardly directed abutting end portion or part 76 of the valve body portion 64 against the flexible, collapsible, plastic tube 78 which, in turn, forcibly abuts the bottom surface of the fixedly positioned flat anvil 80. However, if it should be desired to provide an independent positioning and retention structure for the valve body portion 64 and the pushbutton member 62 in its outer extreme valve-closed position as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, this may be done by providing an upper shoulder, as shown in phantom at 82 in FIG. 6A, so positioned as to abut an annular portion 84 positioned immediately around the top aperture 86 in the metallic ferrule or cover plate 88 fastened around the mating molded plastic upper and lower half portions which together comprise the inner member 68 (although it may be an integral member of wood or any other suitable material) and together therewith comprising the previously mentioned interconnecting brush body portion, generally designated by the reference numeral 36. Said optional shoulder 82 in such a slightly modified structure would act as a positive additional stop preventing any further upward movement of the valve body portion 64 completely apart from the previously mentioned engagement of the effective opposed jaw members comprising the abutting edge or ridge 76, the opposed portion of the flat anvil 80 and the collapsed plastic tube 78 positioned therebetween.

It should be noted that each end of the flexible collapsible plastic tube (which, incidentally, may also be made of rubber or any other suitable collapsible material which is sufficiently elastic to normally return to open relationship when not forcibly collapsed) has opposite ends thereof, as indicated at 90, fastened to the other tube portions 91 and 92 which need not necessarily be made of flexible material but which may be made of relatively rigid material if desired, since only the tube portion 78 need be collapsible in the manner just described so as to comprise what might be termed an intervening flexible easily collapsed effective valving portion 93 thereof which has an effectively variable cross-sectional area in response to finger depression of the pushbutton 62, thus changing the through-passing fiow characteristics of the complete flow passage means, indicated generally at 46, in a manner which will allow the flow of pressurized paint 54 from the interior pressurized chamber 24 of the reservoir means to be fed in any desired quantity into the interior of the forward ends of the bristles 34 of the paint brush for the purposes previously described.

It should be noted that the previously mentioned fixed upper anvil portion 80 comprises a flat cross member fixedly mounted within the recess 66 and extending across the open space 94 positioned between the two laterally separated portions or parts 96 of the bifurcated or split valve portion 64 so that the lower ends of said two laterally separated portions 96 immediately above the cup member 74 may integrally carry on the upper surface thereof the previously mentioned substantially upwardly V-shaped upper abutting end surface portion 76, with the effective valving portion 93 of the collapsible plastic tube 78 being positioned immediately above said vertically slidably movable upper abutting end portion 76 and immediately below the fixedly positioned flat anvil member 80, which two members function as effectively opposed jaw members normally biased into the closed relationship shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 by the biasing spring means 70 in a manner which completely closes the effective valve means formed thereby and prevents all flow of pressurized paint through the tube 78 and consequently through the complete interior flow passage means indicated generally at 46.

This normal closed position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be controllably modified by the application of the painters finger 60 to the pushbutton 62 against the action of the biasing spring 70 and may be done to any desired extent which will correspondingly open the effective valving portion 93 of the plastic tube 78 to any desired extent and will correspondingly allow the controlled flow of pressurized paint 54 to the disseminating nozzle 50 and then into the interior of the bristles of the brush 34.

Incidentally, it should be noted that the interior flow passage means, generally designated by the reference numeral 46, may comprise a continuous length of the flexible tubing, a short flexible tubing portion such as that shown at 78 provided with other types of tubing or bore holes through corresponding parts of the confining structure 68 of the brush base 36 communicating therewith, or any other functionally equivalent arrangement may be employed in lieu thereof. In other words, the specific structure and positioning of the complete interior flow passage means 46 is not critical, and it is only necessary that it be in communication with the collapsible tube 78 which is cooperable with the opposed effective jaw members 76 and for the valving purposes described above. Thus, the actual structure may be modified substantially Within the broad scope of the present invention.

It should also be noted that the particular type of valve structure indicated generally at 56 is particularly advantageous since it, in effect, completely isolates all moving portions of the pushbutton member 62, valve body portion 64, biasing spring 70, valve recess 66, and, indeed, all portions of the valve structure with the exception of the inner surface of the flexible, collapsible, plastic tube 78, from paint flowing therethrough, and this, of course, prevents any clogging of the valve by such paint after it hardens to some extent, which would be extremely undesirable and which could be expected to render a conventional valve virtually inoperable after a short period of use. It will be noted that all that is necessary to do to clean the present interiorly sealed and effectively isolated valve is to pass a paint solvent through the plastic tubing which will, of course, effectively dissolve any small quantity of paint which may remain therein, although this is not likely to be required very often since the inner surface of the plastic tube 78 is smooth and slick and, furthermore, is frequently flexed during valve-opening and closing operations and thus acts to minimize any tendency for any paint whatsoever to accumulate therein or to be deposited thereon. Indeed, the repeated flexing action thereof tends to break loose any such deposit which might otherwise tend to accumulate.

It should be noted that the inner member 68 of the interconnecting brush body portion, generally designated by the reference numeral 36, is illustrated as comprising two mating plastic portions. However, this is exemplary only and is not to be construed as specifically limiting the invention to such a structure or even to plastic material. Actually, the two half portions 68 may be made of wood or any other suitable material effectively fastened together by the outer cover member 88, or the inner member 68 may be made of an integral material rather than being made in separate portions adapted to be placed in mating engagement with each other. In this latter case, it may be appropriately formed with the proper passages positioned therein or may be appropriately drilled to define the proper passages therein, and since drilling is usually performed along a straight line, unneeded end portions of such passages may then be subsequently plugged at the extreme outer ends thereof, or any other means for causing the inner member 68 to define a desired interior flow passage means substantially equivalent to that shown at 46 in FIG. 3 may be employed within the broad scope of the present invention.

The previously mentioned reservoir means 20 actually comprises, in the exemplary form of the invention illus trated, a cylindrical container having a bottom 98 and upstanding substantially cylindrical side wall means 100 provided with removable cover means 102 and with controllably engageable and disengageable fastening means 104 for fastening the cover 102 across the otherwise Open top of the container means 20 and in sealed relationship therewith whereby to define the previously mentioned interior pressure chamber 24 therewithin. In the exemplary form illustrated, said fastening means 104 comprises a plurality of threaded studs 106- fastened to the top edge 108 of the side wall 100* and adapted to have the annular gasket member 110 also carried by the top edge 108 of the container 20 so that the cover 102 may have corresponding edge holes therein vertically positioned over the studs 106 and may have finger-operable nuts 112 threadedly tightened thereon so as to lock corresponding annular portions of the cover 102 and the top edge 108 of the side wall 100 on opposite surfaces of the sealing gasket 110 whereby to provide an air-tight seal within the interior pressure chamber means 24.

It should be noted that the reservoir means or container 20 is provided with outlet means for connection to the previously mentioned flexible duct means 22, and said outlet means is generally designated by the reference numeral 114, as is best shown in FIG. 2, and comprises a feeding tube 116 extending downwardly through the interior pressure chamber 24 to the bottom of the quantity of paint 54 and there being provided With an open inlet end 118 in direct communication with the paint 54. The upper end of the feeding tube 116 has a threaded fitting 120 which is threadedly sealingly and removably engaged within a corresponding threaded portion 122 centrally carried by the cover 102, thus making it possible to remove same whenever desired, such as to facilitate cleaning the feeding tube 116, if desired.

In the exemplary form illustrated, the interior pressure chamber means 24, which acts substantially as an air accumulator, is adapted to be pressurized to a moderate degree to cause positive feeding of the paint 54, and this is accomplished in said exemplary form illustrated, by the provision of a hand-pump means, one form of which is generally designated at 124, which is sealingly threadedly removably engaged in through-passing relationship with respect to the cover member 102, as indicated at 126, so that it can be removed, when desired, such as for cleaning, repair, or other purposes. Said hand-pump means has a handle 128 which may be operated normally by hand pumping same a few strokes for pressurizing the interior pressure chamber 24 to just a few pounds above atmospheric pressure, which can be determined by a pressure gauge (not shown) associated with the pump 124, or by a separate pressure gauge, indicated somewhat diagrammatically at 129. This is normally done just prior to a paint ing operation and will normally provide sufficient pressure to provide positive feeding of the paint E4 whenever the control valve 56 is temporarily opened and will do so for a substantial period of time, thus allowing a painting operation to continue for a substantial period of time before operation'of the hand pump 124 is again required. However, it should be noted that other types of pressurizing means, either manually operated or power-driven with automatic cut-01f features incorporated, if desired, may

be employed in lieu of the hand-pump means 124, or pressure vessels containing air or other appropriate rfluids under pressure may be employed in lieu thereof, and all such arrangements are intended to be included and comprehended Within the broad scope of the present invention.

It should be noted that the feeding tube 116 need not necessarily pass upwardly through the cover 102 in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in all forms of the invention. In certain modifications it may pass laterally through the side wall or may feed directly downwardly through the bottom 98 if desired, and all such modifications and other capable of functioning in the general manner taught, are intended to be included and comprehended within the broad scope of the present invention.

FIG. 8 merely illustrates a slight modification of the spatulate forwardly laterally diverging nozzle means 50 of the first form of the invention and, therefore, because it is a slight modification, it is generally designated by the reference numeral 50, and it will be noted that it includes a plurality of vertical webbing walls 130, which function to provide a plurality of adjacent, diverging, forwardly directed passages 132 for the paint, which brings about a better dissemination thereof, and which also acts to positively maintain the spatulate shape of the modified means 50'. Of course, both the modified nozzle means 50' of FIG. 8 and the first form thereof shown at 50 in FIG. 3 are of very flexible material so as to provide no interference whatsoever with the free flexion of the bristle means 3-4 or 34, respectively.

FIG. 9 illustrates a further very slight modification of the invention primarily involving the addition to the previously described structure of body-engageable supporting and carrying means adapted to couple the reservoir means to the painters body so that he will effectively carry same during a painting operation. The apparatus described in the first form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 remains the same in this modification but is additionally provided with one exemplary but nonspecifically limiting type of body-engageable supporting and carrying means to accomplish the purposes just mentioned above. Since the end result of the combination or composite structure thus may be said to effectively comprise a modified form of the invention, all parts thereof, including even those that are identical to those of the first form of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-7, are designated by similar reference numerals, doubly primed, however.

In the FIG. 9 modification of the invention, the reservoir means or container 20" is adapted to normally be supported and carried by body-engageable supporting and carrying means, one form of which is generally designated at 134 in FIG. 9, which is cooperable with the reservoir means and container means 20 for supporting and carrying same and which is also adapted to be engaged and fastened with respect to the upper trunk portion, such as is designated at 136 in FIG. 9, of the body of the painter 58" for effectively placing the reservoir or container means 20" in supported relationship with respect to the body of the painter 58" so that he will be completely free to perform any desired painting operation and will not need to devote any attention whatsoever to the reservoir or container means 20". In the exemplary arrangement illustrated, said supporting and carrying means 134 comprises a base tray 138 having upwardly directed recess means 140 formed therein and of substantially the same size and shape as the bottom 98" of the reservoir container 20" so as to be adapted for firmly receiving and engaging same in the manner shown in FIG. 9. Also, if desired, laterally directed threaded engagement means may be employed for threadedly con: necting a rigid back panel member 142 of the supporting and carrying means 134 to a forward part of the side wall 100" of the reservoir or container 20". The back panel member 142 is provided with a conventional strap or belt-type harness, such as is generally designated at 144 in FIG. 9, which may have suitable buckle means, lace-type fastening means, or any other appropriate fastening means for fastening said harness 144 around the torso 136 of the body of the painter 58" for appropriately mounting the entire apparatus in an operative use relationship such as is shown in FIG. 9.

It should be noted that the strap or belt-type harness 144 shown in FIG. 9 is exemplary only and is not to be construed as specifically limiting the invention to the particular type of harness illustrated. One alternate type of harness might be a cross body shoulder belt such as is frequently used for mounting some object at the opposite side of a persons body from the shoulder engaged by the upper loop end of the belt thereof, with the object normally being positioned laterally adjacent to the wearers waist or hip opposite to the engaged shoulder. Also, various other types of mounting belts or harnesses may be employed other than the exemplary one specifically shown at 144 in FIG. 9.

It should be noted that the particular type of finger operable valve shown at 56 in FIGS. 1-7 is of what might be termed a self-cleaning type, or a type easily cleaned by the application to the sealed interior thereof of appropriate paint solvent materials, either pressurized or unpressurized. This arrangement is highly advantageous from the standpoint of maintaining the valve 56 in operative condition, not clogged by or prevented from operation by the deposition of hardened paint therein. If desired, this may be facilitated also by removing the various portions of the valve means 56 from their mounted locations, which may be facilitated by removal of the bottom cup 69 and by removal of the inlet rigid tube portion 91 in certain instances. Also, the flexible, collapsible tube 78 can be easily removed. In fact, the exemplary construction illustrated is of an easily disassemblable type and, thus, makes it possible to remove and/ or replace any of the internal parts which are in need of such replacement. However, it should be clearly noted that the construction, just described, of the exemplary first form of the invention may be modified substantially and may be such as to be more fully enclosed within the interconnecting brush body portion 36 so that the inlet rigid tube 91 will, for most of its length, lie therewithin and/or so that the cup 69 will not protrude from the bottom surface of the interconnecting brush body portion 36 but will either be flush therewith or will be eflectively formed and defined therewithin. All such modifications, and any other substantial functional equivalents, are intended to be included and comprehended within the broad scope of the present invention.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific description thereof set forth in this application are for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specific structure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore. Rather, the real invention is intended to' include substantially equivalent constructions embodying the 'basic teachings and inventive concept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. Applicatory liquid feeding and applying apparatus comprising: applicatory liquid storage reservoir means provided with a length of flexible, small-diameter feed tubing means connected to and in communication with the interior thereof at a rear end. thereof and having a remote forward end provided with, and in interior communication with, an applicatory brush means, said applicatory brush means having a rearwardly extending handle and forwardly extending bristle means provided with and interconnected by an intervening interconnecting brush body portion, said handle having a forward end and said body portion ,having a rear end interconnected and defining junction means therebetween, said applicatory brush means being provided with inlet coupling means extending into the interior of said body portion and there being provided with and connected to interior flow passage means passing through said body portion and forwardly into said forwardly extending bristle means completely therewithin to a location between said brush body portion and a forward end of said brush means for interiorly feeding applicatory liquid initially supplied to said rear end of said flexible feed tubing means from said reservoir means, said inlet coupling means being positioned adjacent to said junction means between said forward end of said handle and said rear end of said body portion and extending thereinto from a position laterally offset, in a direction corresponding to a width direction of the body portion, from and at one side thereof at a location such as to provide minimum interference with a hand adapted to manually hold said handle during a liquid-applying operation, said interior flow passage means being provided with a spatulate forwardly laterally diverging disseminating outlet nozzle means for forwardly laterally outwardly and interiorly feeding applicatory liquid to the inner rear ends of said forwardly extending bristle means in a manner enhancing the dissemination thereof to all forward portions of said bristle means; and finger-operable normally closed valve means carried by said body portion in said interior flow passage means and normally closing same and controllably operable by a finger of a persons hand holding said applicatory brush means for allowing controlled forward feeding of applicatory liquid therethrough toward a forward end of said applicatory brush means, said valve means comprising an outwardly projecting pushbutton member connected to a valve body portion provided with, and slidably mounted in, a valve recess and provided with biasing spring means normally biasing said valve body portion and said pushbutton member into an outwardly displaced, extreme, valveclosed position, said interior flow passage means comprising a flexible collapsible tube having an easily collapsed eifective valving portion provided with a fixed anvil portion positioned immediately adjacent thereto, said valve body portion having an abutting end portion harried adjacent to said fixed anvil portion and normally biased by said biasing spring means toward said anvil portion with suflicient force to normally collapse the intervening, flexible, easily collapsed, effective valving portion of the flexible, collapsible tube comprising said interior flow passage means in a manner which normally completely shuts same and effectively closes said valve means, said collapsible tube comprising an extruded elastomeric plastic tube positioned below said fixed anvil portion, with said abutting end portion of said valve body portion being positioned below said effective valving portion of said collapsible tube in opposition to said upper fixed anvil portion and being upwardly directed toward same and carried by a lower split and bifurcated part of the valve body portion at a location spaced below said fixed anvil portion and being normally biased upwardly by said biasing spring means toward said effective valving portion of said collapsible tube; said reservoir means having an interior pressure chamber means therewith adapted to be effectively pressurized for causing pressurized positive feeding of applicatory liquid adapted to be carried within said reservoir means outwardly therefrom through said flexible feed tubing means toward said applicatory brush means whenever said finger-operable valve means is temporarily digitally operated into open position.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including pressurizing means removably carried by and in interior communication with said reservoir means and controllably operable for pressurizing the interior thereof whereby to provide a desired degree of pressure within said interior pressure chamber means thereof.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including handpump pressurizing means removably carried by and in interior communication with said reservoir means and controllably manually operable for pressurizing the interior thereof whereby to provide a desired degree of pressure Within said interior pressure chamber means thereof.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said reservoir means comprises a container having a bottom and upstanding side wall means and removable cover means provided with controllably engageable and disengageable fastening means for fastening said cover means across the otherwise open top of said container means and in sealed relationship therewith whereby to define said interior pressure chamber therewithin.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said reservoir means is provided with outlet means connecting it to said feed tubing means comprising a feeding tube having an open inlet end normally positioned adjacent to a bottom of said interior chamber within said reservoir means and being provided with fastening means for fastening it in said position with a portion thereof extending sealingly through said reservoir means from the interior thereof to the exterior thereof.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including bodyengageable supporting and carrying means cooperable with said reservoir means for supporting and carrying same and adapted to be engaged with respect to a portion of a human body for placing the reservoir means in effectively supported relationship with respect to a human body.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said supporting and carrying means comprises a base tray having upwardly directed recess means of substantially the same size and shape as a corresponding bottom portion of said reservoir means for receiving and engaging same.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said supporting and carrying means comprises a base tray having upwardly directed recess means of substantially the same size and shape as a corresponding bottom portion of said reservoir means for receiving and engaging same and controllably engageable and disengageable laterally directed attachment means for attaching a side portion of said reservoir means in laterally fixed relationship with respect to an upstanding portion of said supporting and carrying means for positively locking said reservoir means in firmly fastened relationship thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner H. S. SKOGQUIST, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

